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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t read a lot of thrillers these days - mostly because they keep getting louder, twistier, and more detached from any version of emotional or psychological reality I recognise - but when I do, Stacy Willingham is one of the few authors I’ll reach for without hesitation. Her books are like slipping into a dark pool: cool, sharp, immersive. The tension isn’t forced, and the twists don’t feel like a writer playing chess with your gullibility. That said… Only If You’re Lucky didn’t quite thrill me.
Set in a small liberal arts college where everyone’s pretending not to care what anyone else thinks while caring deeply, this is a campus thriller built on that potent cocktail of female friendship, envy, performative intimacy, and repression. Margot - the classic “quiet girl with a tragedy” - gets pulled into the orbit of Lucy Sharpe, who is equal parts magnetic and mildly terrifying. There’s a murder. There’s a disappearance. There are secrets, all tangled up in memory and grief and performance.
Willingham nails the claustrophobia of college life - the way every glance feels loaded, the way identity can morph depending on who’s watching. I liked the structure, with time jumps that keep you slightly off-balance and a narrator you’re not sure you should believe. But still, this felt more like a vibe than a fully realised story. I was intrigued, yes, but not consumed.
And maybe that’s the heart of it. This book felt more new adult noir than full-throttle thriller. The stakes, while dark, stayed soft-edged. The characters were well drawn, but some of them never quite stepped beyond archetype. Lucy, in particular, felt like she existed more as an idea - a manic femme catalyst - than a fully fleshed-out human being.
This wasn’t Willingham’s best, but it still did the job as a springboard between heavier reads. Sleek enough to enjoy, layered enough to chew on a little, but not something I’ll be thinking about weeks from now.
3 stars. Read it for the vibes, the psychological tension, and the messy girls with secrets. But if you’re new to Stacy Willingham, maybe start elsewhere.
Set in a small liberal arts college where everyone’s pretending not to care what anyone else thinks while caring deeply, this is a campus thriller built on that potent cocktail of female friendship, envy, performative intimacy, and repression. Margot - the classic “quiet girl with a tragedy” - gets pulled into the orbit of Lucy Sharpe, who is equal parts magnetic and mildly terrifying. There’s a murder. There’s a disappearance. There are secrets, all tangled up in memory and grief and performance.
Willingham nails the claustrophobia of college life - the way every glance feels loaded, the way identity can morph depending on who’s watching. I liked the structure, with time jumps that keep you slightly off-balance and a narrator you’re not sure you should believe. But still, this felt more like a vibe than a fully realised story. I was intrigued, yes, but not consumed.
And maybe that’s the heart of it. This book felt more new adult noir than full-throttle thriller. The stakes, while dark, stayed soft-edged. The characters were well drawn, but some of them never quite stepped beyond archetype. Lucy, in particular, felt like she existed more as an idea - a manic femme catalyst - than a fully fleshed-out human being.
This wasn’t Willingham’s best, but it still did the job as a springboard between heavier reads. Sleek enough to enjoy, layered enough to chew on a little, but not something I’ll be thinking about weeks from now.
3 stars. Read it for the vibes, the psychological tension, and the messy girls with secrets. But if you’re new to Stacy Willingham, maybe start elsewhere.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the southern setting but didn’t really feel for any of the characters. It was kind of dragged out
and I knew something was going to be up between Lucy & Eliza - guessed they were cousins or something of the sort
and I knew something was going to be up between Lucy & Eliza - guessed they were cousins or something of the sort
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another amazing read. I really enjoyed this one.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed every second and was super hooked. Usually, Stacy takes a second to build, but this was binge worthy from the get go!
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Gosh, I don’t even know where to start. Stacy Willingham is one of my absolute favorite authors. I NEVER figure out the plot twists she throws my way and I love that.
Only If You’re Lucky takes place in a tiny (fictional) town in South Carolina. Told in BEFORE and AFTER, our MC, Margot, has just finished her freshman year in college in the BEFORE. She’s feeling lost after losing her best friend, Eliza, the summer after senior year. This is when Lucy Sharpe takes Margot under her wing. She reminds Margot so much of Eliza with her magnetic personality that can change the dynamic of any room.
In the AFTER, Lucy is missing and wanted for murder…and Margot and her roommates aren’t talking.
This story is such an excellent description of female friendship - ALL of the dynamics - love, jealousy, hatred, and fierce protection of those you love.
I forced my eyes to stay open last night so I could finish this. I HAD to know how it ended.